Manufacture of fabrics



June 25, 1935. J. MORTON 2,005,951

MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS I Filed June 10, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet l June 25,1935 J. MORTON 2,005,951

MANUFACTURE OF FABB I C S Filed June 10, .1933 6 Sheets-Sheet '2 June25, 1935. J. MORTON MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS Filed June 10, 1933 6Sheets-Sheet 5 J. MORTON MANUFACTURE OF FABRI CS Filed June 10, 1933 6Sheets-Sheet 4 June 25, 1935. J. MORTON 2,005,951

MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS Filed June 10, 1933 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 gm b0 aizg zi I June 25, 1935. J. MORTON 2,005,951

MANUFACTURE OF FABRI 05 Filed June 10, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 PatentedJune 25, 1935 UNITED STATE MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS James Morton,Cariisle, England Application June 10, 1933, Serial No. 675,185

In Great Britain June 25, i932 s eam. (Ol. 6685) This invention relatesto the manufacture of carpets, rugsand other fabrics of the kindincluding or consisting of a structure composed of warps and wefts whichare not interwoven but bound together by stitching formed by knittingaction.

The chief object of the invention is to make provision whereby su'chfabrics can be' produced at a high knitting speed and with considerablestructural compactness \comparable with thatobtained by weavingoperations.

According to the invention, the fabric structure is manufactured bysupplying wefts to the opposite faces, or sides, of a web, or sheet, ofwarps and inter-binding the said wefts by chains of stitches extendingalong spaces between the warps; that is, the chains are independent ofone another.

The chains of stitches are each composed of two threads, yarns, or thelike looped together by the same knitting needle to form the chain, thearrangement being such that each stitch consists of a loop in one threaddrawn through a loop in the other, so that the loops in the respectivethreads alternate and interlock throughout the length of the chain, thuspreventing unravelling. Provision is made for positively drawing thestitches tight at timed intervals in the cycle of operations in order toensure that the fabric structure will be firmly consolidated, the timingbeing such that the knitting threads are drawn tight when they are clearof the knitting needles. Thus, the fabric structure is tightlyconsolidated, and the fact that the binding threads for the time beingon the knitting needles take no part in the tightening action ensuresthat thework performed by the knitting mechanism is not rendered anyheavier and that a high knitting-speed can therefore be maintained.Moreover, the fact that the chains are independent avoids the distortionwhich would occur if they were interconnected, and the fact that theyare composed of two threads alternately acted upon by theknitting-needles ensures that the chains will not unravel if a threadbreaks.

The invention is especially suitable for applica tion to the manufactureof pile fabrics, either cut or looped, and, when so applied, theaforesaid fabric structure may constitute the ground structure of thefabric. Pile warps (preferably associated with stuifer warps) extendingbetween the independent chains of stitches are formed by hooks into pileloops, either cut or not, projecting from between the front wefts andbound into the fabric thereby.

In the manufacture of a pile fabric as aforesaid, the fact that thelooping is performed by hooks, and not by the knitting-needlesthemselves, coupled with the fact that the pile loops are bound in placeby the front wefts and not by knitting into the structure of the fabric,ensures that the pile formation does not add to the work of the knittingmechanism and therefore does not aifect the ,lmitting speed.

The knittingneedles may have shanks terminating in hooks and channelswherein work tonguesserving to guide the loops past the hooks duringcasting-off, the needles and tongues, respectively, being secured toindependently actuated supports working in timed relationship.

The manufacture of pile fabrics is carried out by a machine capable ofperforming two succes sive operations during each complete cycle ofoperations, the one operation being a stitching operation and the othera pile-lapping operation.

For the manufacture of cut-pile fabrics the machine employed may have,stationary pile-forming hooks associated with sliding knives for cuttingthe pile. These knives can be operated in sequence, the operation of theknives taking place continuously throughout the complete cycle.

Substantially stationary pile-forming hooks may also be employed whenmanufacturing uncut loop pile fabrics, but, in this case, the hooks arefloating, being supported by previously formed loops. Means are alsoprovided to position the hooks for the pile-lapping operations.

The warps may be supplied from one or more beams; for'instance, theremay be a beam of stuffer warps and one or more beams of pile warps. Thepile warps'pass through one or more sets of guides, preferably tubes,and these guides areoperated to lap the pile warps around the hooks.Especially where there are two or more sets of guides, their operationmay be controlled by pattem-chains or other selecting mechanism.

Successive lengths ofwefts are fed from separate supplies to oppositefaces of the web or sheet of. stuffer warps, and any suitable knownmechanism may be employed for the purpose of placing the said lengthsacross said web or sheet.

The invention will now be described, by Way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in'which:

Fig. 1 is a atic sectional elevation of a machine for manufacturing cutpile fabrics, parts of the machine being omitted for clearness.

Fig, 2 is an elevation in the direction of the are rowJI in Fig. L'themiddle parts of the machine being broken away.

Fig. 3 is fragmentary elevation in the direction of the arrow III inFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation drawn to a large scale to show withgreater cleamess certain of the parts included in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isconfined mainly to the parts which act directly on the various threadsand yarns of which the fabric is composed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary ielevation showing weft-supplying mechanism,this view being to a larger scale than Fig. 1 and being obtained bylooking on the machine in the direction of the aforesaid arrow II inFig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of pile-cutting mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a view drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 6 and showing withgreater cleamess certain of the parts included therein.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation corresponding to Fig.7.

Fig. 9 is a plan of certain of the parts included in Fig.4.

Fig; 10 is a diagram illustrating a cut-pile fabric such as made by themachine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a machine formanufacturing looped pile fabrics.

Figs. 12 and 13 are views showing with greater clearness certain of theparts included in Fig. 11.

and illustrating the loop-forming operation.

Fig. 14 is an elevation of a portion of. a comb positioning floatingloop-forming hooks one of which is shown in Figs. 11 .to 14. v

Fig. 15 is an elevation of a portion of a so-called cradle forsupporting the floating hooks at the commencement of fabric-production.

Fig. 16 is a section on the line XVI-XVI of Fig, 15.

Fig. 17 is a section corresponding to Fig. 16, but showing floating hookin place in the cradle.

Referring firstly to the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, theworking parts of this machine are f supported by a stationary frame-workcomprising mainly two side frames or gables I8 and i9.

The working parts derive their motion from a main driving shaft 20 borneby the frames l8 and I 9 and rotated by any suitable external powermeans. The various motions are mainly derived from cams, certain ofwhich are secured to the main shaft 20 and certain others of which aresecured to shafts driven either directly or indirectly by the shaft 20.These other shafts, which are shown chiefly in Figs. 1 to 3, comprisethe following, namely:-

frame I8 and fixtures thereon and driven at half the speed of the shaft20 through the intermediary of a train of gear-wheels 22. A verticalhalfspeed shaft 23 supported by the frame 19 and fixtures thereon anddriven at half the speed of the main shaft 20 by bevel-gear-wheels 24.

A shaft 25, which may be termed a patternshaft, supported by fixtures onthe frame l9 and driven at half the speed of the main shaft 20 byintermeshing spiral gear-wheels 23 on the shafts 23 nd 25 respectively.A shaft 21 supported upon both frames l8 and I9 and driven at half the.

speed of the main shaft 20 by-bevel-gear-wheels 28 on the shafts 23 and21 respectively.

The machine also includes a take-up shaft 29, which is supported by bothframes l8 and i3 and receives a slow intermittent rotational movementfrom the half-speed vertical shaft 23 through the intermediary of asingle-toothed driver 38 (Figs. 2 and 3) secured tothe shaft 23, atoothed A half-speed cam-shaft 2| supported by the' wheel 3| borne bythe frame l9 and intermittently rotated by the driver 30, a gear-wheel32 on the same shaft 33 as the toothed wheel 3|, and a train ofintermediate gear-wheels 34, 35 and 36 which drive a gear-wheel 31-secured to the takeup shaft 29. The gear-wheels 34, 35 are securedtogether and are adiustably mounted on an arm 38 which is adjustablearound the axis of the shaft 33, and the gear wheel 36 is adjustablymounted on an arm 39 which is adjustable around the axis of the take-upshaft 29. The parts 32 to 31 constitute'a known kind of [change-speedgear, any desired change in the gear ratio being obtainable bysubstituting differently sized intermediate wheels in place of thegear-wheels 34, 35 and 35. Accordingly, the take-up shaft 29' can bedriven at any desired slow intermittent rotational speed.

The yarns and threads acted upon by the machine parts to form therequired cut pile fabric are shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and they comprisestuffer warps A, pile warps B, C, wefts D, E and stitching threads F, Gthe fabric itself being shown conventionally and being denoted by H.

The stuifer warps A are led in a single web or sheet from an overheadbeam 40 journalled at its ends in the frames l8 and IS. The warps A passover a guide beam 4| directly to a part 42, which may be termed thebreast-beam of the machine, without being acted upon by any of theoperative parts thereof; that is to say, the stuifer warps pass idlyinto the body of the fabric H.

The pile warps B, C are supplied as separate webs or sheets fromoverhead beams 43 and 44 journalled at their ends in the frames 18 andi9, and the warps B, C are led to apair of guide beams 35, 46 whencethey passto two rows of guide-tubes 41 and 48, the functionof which isto guide the pile warps into loop formations as they are being embodiedin the fabric H.

The front and back wefts D and E consist of two single continuous yarns,which are supplied from bobbins 49 and 50 mounted on fixtures 5i and 52extending betweenthe frames l8 and IS. The wefts D, E are respectivelyled to two reciprocatory guide-spouts 53, 54, the function of which isto place the wefts across the fell of the fabric-in the productionthereof.

The stitching threads F, G are led in separate webs or sheets from twobeams 55, 56 journalled at their ends in bearings on the frames 18 andE9, the threads passing from their respective beams to stitch-tighteningdevices, hereinafter described. The threads pass from the aforesaiddevices to two-rowsof guide fingers 51, 58 (see Fig. 4) the function ofwhich is to lead the threads in timed sequence into operative engagementwith a row of horizontal hook-needles 59 acting to knit pairs of thethreads F, G into independent chains of stitches which bind the wefts ofone sheet to the wefts of the other sheet, thereby forming the essentialstructure of the fabric.

When the aforesaid guide-tubes 47, 48 guide.

fabric passes from, the take-up beam 82 over guide beams 63 to a clothbeam 64 supported at opposite ends and rotated by any suitable means(not shown) to wind up the fabric at the same rate as it is produced. I

' -The mechanism for and method of supplying the wefts D, E will now bedescribed.

As aforesaid, the wefts are led singly to the fabricby way of two guidespouts 58 and 54. As shown best in Figs. 4 and 5, the spout 53 issecured to the end of an-arm 10 provided with yarn guides 1 I andsecured to a reciprocatory carriage 12, which is slidably mounted on abar 13 secured at its ends to fixtures 14 on the frames I8 and I9. Thecarriage 12 co-operates with two sets of picker mechanism, which areillustrated in Fig. 5, the respective sets being supported on the framesI8 and I9 and deriving their action a from the previously mentionedhalf-speed shaft 21. The two sets of picker mechanism comprise levers15, 16, which are fulcrumed'to fixtures 11 on the frames I8, I9 andwhich carry rollers 18, 19 acting as followers to actuating cams 80, 8I.The respective levers 15, 15 are strongly pulled by springs 8% 83anchored to fixtures 84, on the frames I 8, IS.

89, one wheel of each pair being secured to the shaft 21 and the otherwheels being secured to the shafts 86, 81, respectively.

The other guide spout 54 is secured to the end of an arm provided withyarn guides 9I and secured to a reciprocatory carriage 92, the latterbeing slidably mounted upon a bar 93 which is secured at its ends to thefixtures 14. The carriage 92, like the carriage 12, is operated by twosets of picker mechanism of the same construction as those alreadydescribed, including two actuating cams 94, secured to the shafts 86,

81 but arranged out of phase with reference to the corresponding cams80, 8|.

Assuming the parts to be operating and instantaneously occupying thepositions in which the are shown i F 5, t h

y n 1g as he s an as con loops in the one thread drawn through loops intinues its counter-clockwise rotation, thefdrop shown in the cam 80moves beyond the follower 18, with the result that the spring 82- forcesthe lever 15 to turn sharply around its fulcrum and force the carriage12 to move towards the right along the rail 13. The carriage 12continuesits movement until brought to rest by the lever 16, the shock'of bringing the carriage to rest being absorbed by the spring 83. Atthe instant when. the carriage 12 is projected to the right, thecarriage 92 is also projected by its picker mechanism, including the cam95, along the rail 93, but towards the left.

Thus, each time the picker levers are actuated, the two carriages 12, 92are projected in opposite directions along their rails 13," 93,-andaccordingly two lengths of weft D, E. are simultaneously placed by thespouts 53, 54 at opposite sides of the fabric-production zone inreadiness for incorporation in the fabric being there produced. Thelengths of weft thus supplied are accordingly placed at opposite sidesof the stuifer' warps A, and at the backs of (i. e. below) thehook-needles 59.

. The mechanism for and method of forming stitches in the threads F, Gwill now be described. Referring to the previously mentioned rows ofthread-guide fingers51, 58 (Figs. 4 and 9), these rows are respectivelymounted on pillar bars I00,

The respective actuating cams 80, 4 8! are secured to shafts 86, 81,which are driven III, there being in each row as many" guide fingers asthere are hook-needles 59.

The pillar bars I00 and IM are supported at their ends in well knownmanner so as to he slidable across the machine endwise .(i. e. so as tobe capable of having imparted to them shogging movements), the means ofsupport com- I prising bracketsIM, I03 rigidly attached to segmentalmembers, one of which is indicated by I04 in Fig. 1, these members.being rigidly attached to opposite ends 'of a square shaft I05. Thissquare shaft I05 is journalled at its ends in pivotal arms having pivotshafts ,journalled in the frames I8 and I9, one pivotal arm beingindlcated by I06 and its pivot shaft by I01, in Fig. 1.-

The pillar bars I00, IOI are shogged individually by two pattern chains,one of which is shown conventionally in Fig. 2, being indicated by I08.This chain I08 constitutes one of four pattern chains, which aresupported by a guide roller I09 and pass around a driving drum IIOsecured to the shaft 25 and formed with five toothed rings (see Fig. 3)between which the pattern chainsfit in well known manner.

'The four'pattern chains I08 co-operate with four rollers, one of whichis'shown at III in Fig. 2. Twoof these rollers are carried by slidablymounted abutmentmembers H2 and H3 against which projections on thepillar bars I00, IOI abut, thepillar bars being acted upon by springs'H4, 5, which serve to maintain the pillar bars in operative engagementwith the respective pattern-chains, through the intermediary of thesliding abutments H2, H3 and the respective rollers II I. Thearrangement is such bars I00, IOI can be individually shogged in such amanner thattheir thread-guiding fingers 51, 58 are moveda distanceequivalent to the distance between two of the knitting needles 59. Inorder to produce the chain stitch shown in Fig.

,10, the pattern-chains would be so designed that "that, in therotationofthe shaft 25, the pillar the pillar bars I00, IOI arealternately shogged to the extent of one needle space, with the resultthat each hook produces a single and independent chain of stitches, eachchain consisting of sisting of rising and falling movements past theplaneof the needles 59 and movements tq-andfrom the needles 59;

The rising-and falling movements of the guide fingers 51, 58 areobtained from a cam I20 (Fig. 1) secured to the main shaft 20. The camI20 co-operates with a roller I2I carried by a lever I22, one end ofwhich is fulcrumed at I23 and the other end of which is pivotallyattached to the lower end of a link I24, whose top end is pivotallyattached to one end of a link I25, the other end of which is rigidlyattachedto one end of the square shaft I02. The arrangement is suchthat, once during each revolution of the main shaft 20, the link I25rocks the "square shaft I05 about the axis thereof, with the result thatthe'guide fingers 51, 58 are raised and lowered past the plane of thehook-needles 59.

The movements of the guide fingers 51, 58 toand-from the hook needles 59are derived from a cam I30 (Fig. l) secured to the half-speed shaft 2I.The cam I30 cooperates with a roller I3I carried by an arm I32 which issecured to the pivot shaft I01 of one of the two arms I06 supporting theends of the square shaft I85. The arrangement is such that, twice duringeach revolution of the shaft 2| (i. e. once during each revolution ofthe main shaft) the interconnected arms I32, I06 are rocked, with theresult that the pillar-bars I00, IOI and guide-fingers 51,58 thereonaredisplaced to-and-from the hookneedles 59. p

The mannerof constructing and supporting pillar-bars bearing rows ofthread-guiding fingers and the manner of actuating said bars by cams andpattern-chains are well known to those familiar with warp-knittingmachines, and accordingly they need not be described or illustrated ingreater detail.

The hook needles 59, in the construction illustrated, are of the type inwhich each cooperates with a sliding tongue or latch. In the drawings,the tongues are denoted by I40, these tongues being slidably arranged inchannels formed in theneedle shanks. The action of each tongue I40relatively to the respective needle 59 is, firstly, to retire and leavethe hook exposed, so that the thread F or G to be, stitched can belooped around the hook; and, secondly, to advance and close upon thehook and overlap its tip, thereby providing a guide over which apreviously formed loop is cast-off from the' needle. Thus, in theoperation of the hook needles 59, the tongues I40 move withbutdifferentially ofthe needles.

The row of hook needles 59 are mounted on a reciprocatory bar structureI42 which is secured at both ends to slidable guide-blocks, one of whichis indicated by I43 in Fig. 1, the block I43 being slidably mounted on astationary rod I 44 rigidly attached to a pair of brackets I45 securedto the frame I8. The structure I42, at each end, is pivotally attachedat I46 to one end of alink I41 whose other end is pivotally attached toa lever I48 fulcrumed on a stationary shaft I49. The lower end of thelever I48 carries a roller I50 which engages with a cam II secured tothe main shaft 20. The arrangement is such that, in each rotation of theshaft 20, the lever I48 is rocked to-and-fro by the cam I5I and impartsthrough the link I41 a reciprocatory movement to the bar structure I42and the needles 59 thereon.

The tongues I48 are secured to a bar structure I52 which, at each end,is pivotally attached at I53 to one end of a link I54 whose other end ispivotally attached to a lever I55, which also is fulcrumed on the shaftI49. The lever I55 carries at its lower end a roller I56 engaging with acam I 51 secured to the main shaft 20. The arrangement is such that thecam I51 rocks the lever I55 once in each revolution of the main shaft20, thereby imparting to the tongue-bar I52 and tongues I40 thereof,through the intermediary of the link I54, the requisite differentialmovements relatively to the hook-needles 59.,

In Fig. 1, there is shown mechanism whereby the canis I5I and I51 impartreciprocatory movements to those ends of the needle bar I42 and thetongue bar I 52 which are in' the vicinity of the frame I8; and it is tobe understood that similar'cams and similar mechanism would be providedat the opposite ends of the bars I42, I52, and that the said mechanismwould be supported by brackets corresponding to the brackets I45 butattached to the frame I9.

It is when the needles 59 are fully advanced (i. e. moved to the left asviewed in Fig. 1) that their hooks are looped by the threads F or Gunder the guidance of the fingers 51, 58. Prior to this inter-actionbetween the fingers and needles, the spouts 53, 54 have been forced toreciprocate across the machine and lay in lengths of the wefts D, E.Thus, in the formation of a stitch by the needles 59, the stitchincludes a loop which embraces the two previously laid in lengths of thewefts D and E (see Fig. It will be clear that, in order to render thefabric firm, it is desirable that the last-formed stitch should-bepulled tight. ,Mechanism for pulling the threads G and F tight will nowbe described. The stitch-tightening mechanism is actuated by four camsI60 to I63 secured to the halfspeed shaft 2I (see Figs. 1 and 2)..Referring first of all to the action of the said mechanism upon thesheet of threads F, the beam 55 on which these threads are wound isprovided with a brake-drum I64 (see Fig. 1). A brake-band I65 wrappedpartially around the brake-drum is anchored at one end I66 to the frameI8 and is connected at its other end, by connections I61, to a leverI68, one end of which is fulcrumed at I69 on the frame I8 and the otherend of which carries a roller I10 co-operating with the cam I60. Thearrangement is such that,.once in every revolution of the shaft 2I (i.e. once in every two revolutions of the main shaft 28), the cam I69imparts to the lever I68 an upward motion whereby the brake-band I65 isdrawn tightly against the drum I64, so that the beam 55 is temporarilylocked against rotation. The tightening action is applied to the threadsF by a rod I1I (-see Fig. 1) supported at its ends by arms, one of whichis indicated by I12. These arms are secured to a shaft I13 journalledat-its opposite ends in the frames I8, I9, the shaft I13 serving also asa guide for the threads F. To one end of the shaft I13 there is securedan arm I14 which carries a roller (not shown, being obscured by theroller I18 in Fig. 1) co-operating with the cam I62. The arrangement issuch that, at the time when the beam 55 is temporarily locked, the camI62 imparts an upward movement to the arm I14, whereby the shaft I13 isturned counter-clockwise, with the result that the bar MI is moved tothe left and imparts a pull to the sheet of threads F, therebytightening the stitches last formed in these threads.

Referring now to the sheet of threads G, which are wound upon the beam.56, the aforesaid cams I6I and I63 respectively operate brake-mechanismand thread-pulling mechanism of 'the same construction as alreadydescribed with reference to the threads F, and the said mechanisms havetherefore been denoted in Fig. 1 by the same reference numerals. Forclearness, the arm I12, and

1 the rod I1I adapted to pull the threads G, have been shown displacedinto the position which they occupy at the conclusion of the pull.

It is to be understood that arms I12, corresponding to those shown inFig. 1, would be provided in the vicinity of the frame I9 to support theadjacent ends of the bars IN.

The mechanism for and method of leading-in the pile warps B, C will nowbe described.

The two j'rows of pile-guiding tubes 41, 48 are respectively secured totube-bars I80, I8I which are slidably attached'at I82, I83 to (althoughheld against rotation relatively to) a pair of arms I84 secured toopposite ends of a shaft I85 which is journalled at its ends in arms I86secured to frames I8, I9. The tube bars I80,- I8I are-so supported thatthey receive a shogging movement, a lowering-and-raising movement, and ashort-rocking movement, the resultant of the three composite movementsbeing such that the pile-guiding tubes lap the pile warpsaround thestationary pile-forming hooks 80.

The shogging movements of the tube bars I80, I8I areindependentlyreceived from two of the four pattern chains already described, and oneof which is denoted by I08 in Fig. 2. For this purpose, the tube-barsare provided at the ends thereof adjacent to the frame l9 withabutmentplates which co-operate with projections on two slidesprovided with twoof the four rollers indicated by III in Fig. 2; one abutment plate I90,one projection I9I and one slide I92 being shown in Fig. "2. These partsare adapted to form an operative connection between the respectiveroller II I and the tube bar I80, the aforesaid connection beingmaintained continuous by a spring I93 anchoredat I 9l tothe shaft I85.The tube bar It isoperated similarly.

. Thus, it will be seen that the shogging movements of the tube-barsI80, I8I are derived in the same manner as the shogging movements of thepillar bars I00, IOI.

, Moreover, the extents by which the tube-bars I80, I8I are shogged canbe varied under the control of the pattern-chainsto produce patterneffects inthe pile.

rocking movement to the lever 203, with the result that the tubes 41,$8, in unison, are lowered below the level of the hooks 80 andthereafter raised above said level again.

The rocking movement of the tube-bars I80,,

, I8I is derived from a cam Own the shaft 20. This cam co-operates witha roller 2 carried at the lower end of a lever 2I2, which is fulcrumedat 2I3 and the top end of which is connected by a link 2Il to anextension 2I5 of one of the two arms I84. The arrangement is suchthat,

' once during each revolution of the shaft 20, the

lever 2 I2 is rocked by the cam 2I I, with the result that the tubes 41,48, in unison, are rocked to-andvfro past the hooks.

In the construction illustrated, there are only two rows of guide-tubes,and it is to bev understood that the machine may have more than two rowsif required, more particularly if the machine is intended to producevariously patterned fabrics.

Referring again to the rows of thread-guiding fingers 51, 5a, and to thefact that the guidetubes ll, 48 may move amongst them during theoperation of lapping the pile threads around the hooks 80, thepattem-chains I08 controlling the shogging movements of the fingers mustunder such circumstances be designed to impart an auxiliary shoggingmovement to the fingers, when the tubes are being shogged, to avoidfouling between the fingers and tubes.

The mechanism for and method of cutting the loops in-the pile threads B,C will now be described, more particularly with reference to Figs.

) a rock-shaft I81 journalled at its ends in the 6 to 8 in which thesaid mechanism is most clearly shown.

The knives 8i consist of thin blades which are arranged to slide ingrooves 220 formed in the loop-forming hooks (see also Fig. 9), so thatthese hooks present the appearance'of sheathlike members serving .aspartial guides for the knives. The hooks 80 are secured to a barstructure 22I serving also to guide the kniv'esand supported at its endsby brackets 222 on the frames I8 and-I9 (see also Fig. l). The top endof each knife is formed as a sharp inclined edge which works immediatelybelow the loop-forming hooks, while the bottom of each knife is formedwith an eyelet 223 through which passes a removable pin 224 extending atboth ends between the vertical dents 225 of a double stationary reed andprojecting into the path of a double sliding cam 228, having upwardlyand downwardly inclined cam grooves 221. The dents 225 serve forvertical guidance of the pins 224, whereas the cam grooves 221 serve asa means for raising the knives from'their lowermost position. There areseveral double cams 228, all arranged to slide as a gang on stationaryhorizontal bars 228 ,supported at their ends on brackets 229 on theframes I8 and I9 (see also Fig. 1), the cams being interconnected toslide in unison by links 230.. The cams receive a continuousrecipro'catory motion from an eccentric 23I secured to the shaft .225,the eccentric imparting the necessary movement through an articulatedtrain comprising an eccentric rod 23, a bell-crank-lever 233 fulcrumedat 234 onthe frame I9, a link 235 and a lever 236, which is fulcrumed at231 on a bracket 238. The lever 238 has a sliding connection at 239 withthe endmost double cam 226.

The arrangement is such that, during the operation of the machine, thecams slide in unison to-and-fro along the bar 228 and impart a verticalcutting, motion to the knives in sequence, which therefore, cut whateverloops of pile em brace the shanks of the hooks. The sequential actionobviates shock, and since the pile-cutting operation is uniformlydistributed over the complete cycle, the minimum power for cutting isexpended.

The above-mentioned feature permits high speeds to be attained,especially owing to the fact that thehooks, being stationary, do nothave to slide to-and-fro through initially uncut loops, thereby keepingthe resistance of the pile-looping-and-cutting mechanismlow.

Any knife-blade can be conveniently removed simply by withdrawing itsbottom pin 228' and allowing the blade to drop out of its hook shank.

With reference to the machine in its entirety, the worklng parts are, sotimed in relation to each other that the following cycle of operationstakes place during each revolution of the main shaft 28, it,being'assumed that 'a portion; of fabric H has already been produced.

, Two lengths of weft n, E are simultaneously I placed across the topofthe fabric by the spouts '83, BI. The thread D is led-in at the pileside of the sheet of stuifer warps A and rests against the stufl'erwarps, the threads F, G extending from the fingers 51, 58, and thelast-formed loops in thepile warps Ber 42. The thread E is led-in at theground side of the sheet of stutter warps A and rests against thesewarps and also loop extending to the hook needles 59.

The hook-needles 59 advance across the tops of the wefts D, E and passthrough and beyond the sheets of warps A, C and B. The

tongues "0 also advance, but to a lesser extent than the needles 59,whose hooks are therefore fully exposed. One of the two. rows ofguidefingers, say the fingers 51, receive the composite that thelast-formed loops in the threads G are cast-01f, thereby producingstitches. These stitches include loops (newly formed by the retiringneedles 59) in the threads F, which loops embrace the wefts D, E andhold them against the warps A, B and C. The stitch-tightening mechanismprovided for the threads G is now actuated, the respective drum I64being braked and the respective rod I'll being displaced to pull on thesheet of threads G in the manner hereinbefore described. Accordingly,the castoif loops in the threads G are pulled tight, with the resultthat the wefts embraced by these castofl loops are drawn tightly intothe fabric. However, the loops last formed in the threads F and stillengaged by the needles 59 receive no pull whatever, so that the weftsembraced by these loops are merely held thereby lightly in place at thisstage. The fact that the wefts are drawn tightly into the fabric at atime when the threads binding them are entirely free from the needles 59ensures that the fabric can be very tight and compact and yet theknitting speed is not reduced.

The rows of tubes 41, 48 pass below the tips of the hooks 00, and thatrow which is operated by its pattern-chain I08 performs a loopingmovement around the hooks, whereby the pile warps comprising one orother of the sheets B, C are lapped around the hooks 50 in readiness tobe bound in place during the succeeding cycle of operations. In saidsucceeding cycle, however, it is the'threads G which are looped by theirguide fingers 58 upon the hooked-needles 59 and it is the loops formedin the threads during the preceding cycle which are cast-'oif and pulledtight.

Throughout the cycle, as previously explained, the pile-cuttingoperation continuously takes place.

The fabric produced may be of the simple form illustrated in Fig. 10. Aswill be gathered therefrom, the threads F, G are formed into singleindependent chains which extend lengthwise between adjacent groups ofstutter and pile warps A, B and C, and which serve to bind the wefts D,E and stufier warps A into the form of a strong fabric structure servingas the ground of the complete cut-pile fabric in the example described.It will be observed that the pile loops are not knitted-inthat is tosay, they are not acted upon at all by the hook-needles 59-and that theyare held in place solely by the front wefts D, below which they pass.

With reference now to the manufacture of looped pile fabri'cs,a portionof a machine for producing such fabrics is shown in Fig. 11. Ex-

cept for certain of the parts therein shown and now to be described,this machine may be identical with the machine already described withreference to Figs. 1 to 9, but with the fixed loop-forming hooks and thepile-cutting knives and their operating means removed.

, thereby locking the hooks in ciation with a toothed bridge, shown alsoin Figs.

12, 13 and 14. The bridge 304 extends across the machine and issupported at its ends by brackets, one of which is indicated by 305.Each of these brackets is adjustably secured by a screw 306 to a cam-rod301, which is vertically slidable in guides 308 on a stationary bracket309. The cam-rod 301 has at its lower end a roller 3 l0 which rides upona cam 3| I secured to a cam-shaft 3l2 driven by, and at the same speedas, the mainshai't of the machine (i. e. the shaft described withreference to Figs. 1 to 9) through the intermediary of any suitablegearing (not shown).

The arrangement is such that, in the normal operation of the machine,the hooks 302 are supported by the loops formed in the pile threads, asshown in Figs. 12 and 13, the action' of the bridge 304 being to riseand engage the hooks once during each cycle of operations (see Figs. 11,12 and 14) and position them accurately in the spaces between its teeth.While the looping operation is being perfcrmed,the bridge 304 is loweredout of the way, as shown in Fig. 13, the thread-guiding fingers being atthe same time withdrawn clear of the pile tubes.

The fabric K shown in Figs. 12 and 13 has been illustratedconventionally, for clearnes s. This fabric may be the same as thatdiagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 10, except that the pile warps B, Care not cut.

.At the commencement of fabric-production, there being no pile loops tosupport the floating hooks 302, 303, the latter are set up, away fromthe machine, in a cradle 3|3, a. portion of .which is shown in Figs. 15to 17. This cradle is formed in its convex face with grooves 314 intowhich the hook shanks 303 can be neatly seated, as shown in Fig. 1'7.When the hooks are thus set up, a wire 5 is strung from end-to-end ofthe cradle,

place.

The machine is first of all operated to produce 7 a short. length ofunlooped fabric, a bridge 304 being temporarily removed. Then the loadedcradle 313 is positioned temporarily'in place in the machine, and thelatter is manipulated slowly by hand until sufficient loops are formedupon the hooks to support them. Then the cradle is removed, and thebridge is replaced. J

Obviously, a single cradle can be utilized for several machines in turn.

If desired, the parts herein described with reference to Figs. 11 to 17may be interchangeable with the parts to which they correspond in themachine described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9, so that the onemachine may be quickly and conveniently convertible for manufacturingdifferent kinds of fabric. Thus, the machine can be utilized tomanufacture'a large variety of fabrics, namely cut-pile, looped pile,and simple non-pile fabrics composed of warps and wefts bound togetherby face could be obtained by dispensing-with all loopforming mechanismand supplying strips of chenille as wefts in lieu of or in addition tothe wefts D.

The par icular kind of knitting needles described an illustrated ispreferred for high speed working; but ordinary latch-needles, or othersuitable kind may be used if desired.

I claim:-

l. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stufferwarps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,mechanism for imparting pile-looping movements tosaid guides, means forsupplying wefts to opposite faces of said stuifer and pile sheets,mechanism 'for producing chains of stitches which extend along spacesbetween groups of said stuffer and pile warps and inter-bind the wefts,stationary hooks around which'the weft-bound pile warps are loopedduring said pile-looping movements, knivcsprovided in combination withsaid hooks, and means for moving said knives to cut the looped pilewarps.

, 2. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet ofstuifer warps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pilewarps, mechanism for imparting looping movements to said guides, meansfor supplying wefts to opposite faces of said stu'ffer and pile sheets,and mechanism for producing chains .of stitches which extend alongspaces between groups of said stuffer and pile warps and inter bind thewefts, stationary hooks around which the weft-bound pile warps are;looped during said pile-looping movements, knives slidably mounted incombination with said hooks, and means for sliding said' knives insequence to cut the looped pile warps.

3. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stufierwarps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,mechanism for impartingpile-looping movements to said guides, means forsupplying wefts to opposite faces 'of said stuifer and pile sheets, andmechanism for producing chains of stitches which extend along spacesbetween groups of said stuifer and weft-bound pile warps and inter-bindthe wefts, stationary hooks around which the pile warps are looped,knives slidably mounted on said hooks, projections on said knives,stationary guides for said projections, cam means engageable'with saidprojections, and means for reciprocating said cam means so as to slidesaid knives in sequence and thereby cut the looped pile warps.

4. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stuiferwarps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,mechanism for imparting pile-looping movements to said' guides,weft-receiving guides mounted at opposite faces of the associated sheetsof stuffer and pile warps, mechanism for reciprocating said guides toplacewefts across said opposite faces, and mechanism for producingchains of stitches which extend along spaces between groups of saidstuffer and pile warps and inter-bind the wefts, which thus bind thewarps.

5-. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stufferwarps and comprischains of stitches which extend along spaces be-' tweengroups of said stuifer and pile warps and 6. A fabric manufacturingmachine adapted to receive a sheet' of stufler warps and comprisingguides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps, mechanism for impartingpile-looping movements to said guides, means for supplying wefts toopposite faces of said stufii' and pile warp sheets, mechanism' forproducing chains of stitches which extend along spaces between saidwarps and inter-bind the wefts, and floating hooks around which the pilewarps are looped during said pile-looping movements, said floating hooksbeing normally supported by the looped pile warps.

'7. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stuifer,warps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,

mechanism for imparting pile-looping'=move-.

ments to said guides, means for supplying wefts to 'opposite faces ofsaidstuifer and pile warp sheets, mechanism for producing chains ofstitches which extend lengthwise of said warps and inter bind the wefts,floating hooks around which the pile warps are looped during saidpilelooping movements, said floating hooksbeing normally supported bythe looped pile warps, a bridge movably mounted in the vicinity of theposition occupied by said floating hooks, and means formoving saidbridge at timed intervals to engage the floating hooks and position themfor said pile-looping movements.

'8. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stufferwarps and comprising guides-for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,

-mechanism for imparting pile-looping moveing hooks being normallysupported by the looped pile warps.

9. A method of manufacturing fabrics which consists in supplying weftsto the opposite faces of a sheet of warps spaced apart, producing-in twosets of threads chains of stitches along the spaces between the warps tointerbind the wefts, each chain consisting of the same two alternatelylooped threads belonging to the respective sets, and pulling a set ofsaid threads to tighten already formed weft-binding stitches while theother set of threads are in condition for formation into'fresh stitches.

10. A method of manufacturing fabrics which consists in supplying weftsto the opposite faces of a sheet of warps spaced apart, supplying twosets. of binding threads, producing therein chains of stitches along thespaces between the warps to inter-bind the wefts, each chain consistingof the same two alternately looped threads, alter- 11. A method ofmanufacturing pile fabrics which consists in supplying wefts to thefront and back faces of a sheet composed of stuifer' warps and pilewarps, producing chains of stitches to extend along spaces between thewarps to inter-bind the wefts, and forming loops in the pile warps, saidloops being bound by the front, wefts.

12. A method of manufacturing pile fabrics which consists in supplyingwefts to the front and back faces of a sheet composed of stuffer warpsand pile warps spaced apart in groups, producing chains of stitchesalong .the spaces between the groups of warps to inter-bind the wefts,and forming loops in the pile warps, which loops are bound by the frontwefts.

-13:A method of manufacturing pile fabrics which consists insupplyingwefts to the front and back faces of-a sheet composed ofstufler warps and pile warps spaced apart in groups, producing chains ofstitches alongthe spaces between the groups ofwarps to inter-bind thewefts, forming loops in the pile warps, which loops are bound by thefront wefts, and cutting said loops to form a cut-pile surface.

14.. A method of manufacturing pile fabrics which consists in supplyingwefts to the front and back facesof a sheet composed of stufler warpsand pile warps spaced apart in groups, supplying binding threads,producing therein chains of stitches along the spaces between the groupsof warps to inter-bind the wefts, forming loops in, the pile warps,which loops are bound by the front wefts, periodically restraining thesupply of said threads, and pulling said threads to tighten thestitches;

15. A method of manufacturing pile fabrics which consists in supplyingwefts to the front and back faces of a sheet composed of stuifer warpsand pile warps spaced apart in groups, supplying two "sets of bindingthreads, producing with said threads chains of stitches along the spacesbetween the groups of warps to inter-bind the wefts, each of saidstitches consisting of a loop in a thread of one set drawn through aloop in a thread of the other set, and forming loops in the pile warps,which loops are bound by the front wefts.

16. In a method of manufacturing pile fabrics according to the lastpreceding claim, alternately restraining the supply of the respectivesets of binding threads and pulling the restrained threads to tightenthe stitchesproduced therein.

17. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of spacedwarps and compris ing weft-receiving guides mounted at opposite faces ofthe sheet of warps, mechanism for reciprocating said guides to pla ewefts across said opposite faces, mechanism for producing from two setsof threads chains of stitches which extend along the spaces between saidwarps and inter-bind the wefts, each chain consisting of the same twoalternately looped threads belonging to the respective sets, and twoalternately operating stitch-tightening devices, each operating to pulla set of said threads and so tighten already formed weft-bindingstitches while the other set of said threads are in condition forformation into fresh'stitches.

18. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of spacedwarps and comprising means for supplying wefts to opposite faces of saidsheet of warps, rotatable beams serving for the supply of two sets ofbinding threads, mechanism for producing with said threads chains ofstitches which extend along the spaces between said warps and interbindthe wefts, each chain consisting of the same two alternately loopedthreads, brake means for holding the respective beams against rotationat timed intervals, tightening means associated with said bindingthreads, and means operable at. said intervals to displace saidtightening means and thereby tighten the stitches inthe respective setsof threads.

19. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of spacedwarps and comprising weft-receiving guides mounted at opposite faces ofthe sheet of warps, mechanism for reciprocating said guides to placewefts across said opposite faces, rotatable beams serving for the supplyof two sets of binding threads, mechanism for producing with saidthreads chains of stitches which extend along the spaces between saidwarps and inter-bind the wefts, each chain consisting of the same twoalternately looped threads, brake means for holding the respective beamsagainst rotation at timed. intervals, tightening means associated withsaid binding threads, and means operable at said intervals to displacesaid tightening means and thereby tighten the stitches in the respectivesets of threads.

20. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stufferwarps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,mechanism for imparting pile-looping movements to said guides, means forsupplying wefts to opposite faces of said stuffer and pile sheets, andmechanism for producing chains of stitches which extend lengthwisebetween said warps and inter-bind the wefts, which thus bind the warps,the respective chains consisting of the same threads throughout theirlength.

I 21. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet ofstuffer warps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pilewarps, mechanism for imparting looping movements to said guides, meansfor supplying wefts to opposite faces of said stufier and pile sheets,rotatable beams serving for the supply of twosets of binding threads,mechanism for producing with said threads chains of stitches whichextend along spaces between groups of said stufler and pile warps andinter-bind the wefts, each of said chains consisting of the same twoalternately looped threads, brake means for holding the respective beamsagainst rotation at timed intervals, tightening means associated withsaid sets of binding threads, and means operable at said intervals todisplace said tightening means and thereby tighten the stitches in therespective sets of threads. Y

22. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stufierwarps and comprising guldes'for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,mechanism for imparting looping movements to said guides, means forsupplying wefts to opposite faces of said stuffer and pile sheets,rotatable beams serving for the supply of two sets of binding threads,mechanism for producing with said threads chains of stitches whichextend along spaces between groups of said stufier and pile warps andinter-bind the wefts, each of said chains consisting of the same twoalternately looped threads, brake means for holding the respective beamsagainst rotation at timed intervals, tightening means. associated withsaid sets of binding threads, and means operable at said intervals todisplace said tightening means and thereby tighten the stitches in therespective sets of threads, stationary hooks around which the weft-boundpile warps are looped during said pilelooping movements, knivesslidablymounted in combination with said hooks, and means for sliding saidknives in sequence to cut the looped pile warps.

23. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of stuiferwarps and comprising guides for leading-in a sheet of pile warps,mechanism for imparting pile-looping movements to said guides,weft-receiving guides mounted at opposite faces of the associated sheetsof stuifer and pile warps, mechanism for reciprocating said guides toplace wefts across said opposite faces,

- rotatable beams serving for the supply of two sets, of bindingthreads, mechanism for producing with said threads chains of stitcheswhich extend along spaces between groups of said stuifer and pile warpsand inter-bind the wefts, each of said chains consisting of the same twoalternately looped threads, brake means for holding the-respective beamsagainst rotation at timed intervals, tightening means associated withsaid sets of binding threads, means operable at said intervals todisplace said tightening means and thereby tighten the stitches in therespective sets of threads, stationary hooks around which the weft-boundpile warps are looped during said pilelooping movements, knives slidablymounted in combination with said hooks, and means for sliding saidknives in sequence to cut the looped pile warps.

24. A method of manufacturing fabrics which comprises the operations ofsupplying front and back wefts to the opposite faces of a sheet ofwarps, producing chains of stitches to extend along spaces between thewarps and interbind the front and back wefts, and forming loops in thewarps, said loops projecting between and being bound by the front wefts.

25. A method of manufacturing fabrics which comprises the operations ofsupplying front and back wefts to the opposite faces of a sheet ofwarps, producing in two sets of threads chains of stitches to extendalong spaces between the warps and interbind the front and back wefts,each chain consisting of the same two alternately looped threadsbelonging to the respective sets, forming loops in the warps, said loopsprojecting between and being bound by the front wefts, and pulling a setof said threads to tighten already formed weft-binding stitches whilethe other set of threads are in condition for formation into freshstitches.

26. A method of manufacturing fabrics which comprises the operation ofsupplying wefts to the opposite faces of a sheet composed of stufi'erwarps and pile warps spaced apart in groups, producing in two sets ofthreads chains of stitches along the spaces between the groups of warpsto interbind to receive a sheet of 'warps and comprising means forsupplying front and back wefts to opposite faces of said sheet of warps,mechanism for producing chains of stitches which extend along spacesbetween said warps and inter-bind the front and back wefts, and meansfor forming loops in the warps, said loops projecting between and beingheld in place by the front wefts.

28. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of warpsand comprising means for supplying front and back wefts to oppositefaces of said sheet of warps, mechanism for producing chains of stitcheswhich extend along spaces between said warps and inter-bind the frontand back wefts, means for forming loops in the warps, said loopsprojecting between and being held in place by the front wefts, and meansfor cutting said loops.

29. A fabric manufacturing machine adapted to receive a sheet of warpsand comprising means for supplying front and back wefts to oppositefaces of said sheetof warps, mechanism for producing in two' sets ofthreads chains of stitches which extend along spaces between said warpsand inter-bind the front and back wefts, each chain consisting of thesame two alternately looped threads belonging to the respective sets,means for forming loops in the warps, said lo'ops projecting between andbeing held in place by the front wefts, and two alternately operatingstitchtightening devices, each operating to pull a set of said threadsand so tighten already formed weft-binding stitches while the other setof said threads are in condition for formation into fresh stitches.

30. A fabric manufacturing machine according to the last preceding claimand having in combination with the parts therein defined means forcutting said loops.

JAMES MORTON.

